Mortar-board cap



' p 9, 1930. c. B. ALDRICH 1,775,185

MORTAR BOARD CAP Filed July 1, 1929 C jwenzolgwag /a/rencefiwh a. .M "W/Patented Sept. 9, 1930 PATENT OFFICE CLARENCE B. ALDRICH, OF CHICAGO,ILLINOIS MORTAR-BOARD on? Application filed July 1, 1929.- Serial No.375,267.

My invention relates to improvements in mortar board caps consisting ofthe usual flat rectangular top and a crown.

. Difficulty has been encountered heretofore with such caps in that theflat top does not remain flat over extended periods of time, but curlsor warps.

The objects of the present invention are to provide an improved cap ofthis character,

the top of which will remain flat, one which will stand comparativelyrough handling although of light weight, one in which the corners willnot bend or break and which will not cut through readily when thecorners are struck, as by dropping the hat, and one in which the flattop is substantially waterproof.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the more detaileddescription hereinafter given of the preferred embodi ment of theinvention.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a finished cap embodyingthese improvements.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the corthe top.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of a corner thereof. a

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of a reenforcing metal channel member.

Fig. 5 is a partial end view of the reenforced corrugated board.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the same showing it partially slippedinto a felt cover, and

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the same with the cover sewed together.

The complete cap consists of a mortar board top 1, a stiff crown 2, anda tassel 3.

The top is stiffened by a sheet of corrugated board 4, having edgesreenforced by channel members 5 of thin light metal, such as aluminum,for example. The end of each channel overlaps the adjacent end of thechannel at right angles thereto, as shown at Fig. 2, and the overlappingedges are soldered as shown at 6, thus preventing. the metal frompulling apart at the edges and insuring rigidity. Furthermore, if theupper flange of one channel overliesthe upper flange of rugated boardand associated parts forming the adjacent channel, the lower flange ofsaid first mentioned channel will underlie the corresponding lowerflange of the second mentioned channel, that is, at eachcorner oneflange end of each channel member is disposed between the ends of theadjacent channel member, as illustrated in Fig. 5. With this arrangementa very stiff, light reenforcing board is provided, which board is thenplaced in a press and reduced somewhat in thickness without crushing it,this operation also insuring smooth upper and lower surfaces. j

The corners are protected by gummed cloth or paper 7, as shown in Figs.3 and 6, for example. This is done to prevent the corners from cuttingthe cloth of the finished cap when the edgeof the cap strikes the floor,for example. Both sides of the corrugated board are then shellacked anda piece of cloth 8 is caused to adhere to each side thereof by theshellac. The latter water-proofs the board aswell as acting as anadhesive. Other suitable adhesive may of course be employed. Thestructure thus formed is then enclosed" by a piece of cloth 9,preferably felt, formed, as shown in Fig. 6, as a flat bag or envelopeleaving a flap which is thereafter sewed shut, as shown in Fig. 7 Thismaterial serves as a further protection .at the edges and at the cornersas well as elsewhere.

The mortar board is then covered with suitable,- cloth or finishingmaterial and is sewed to the crown, the latter being madeusually frommaterial such as buckramn The two are sewed together by basting threadswhich are passed through from the inside to the outside of the cap andback through the same holes in the exterior cloth covering so that thethread is not seen from the top. The thread is not passed through thesame holes in the felt 9 or through the cloth 8 on opposite sides of thecorrugated board, but at a slight distance therefrom so that the feltand cloth prevent the thread from pulling through the corrugated board.These basting threads are indicated by the dotted lines 10 in Fig. 7 andare concealed in the finished cap by the lining.

Caps made in the manner described remain smooth and flat indefinitely ontop, which is V to a very important feature, in that, although many capsare sold to the users, in a large percentage of cases the caps merelyare rented for commencement exercises at schools and colleges, and'thus,being used only at very long intervals, must remain in good conditionfor many years in order to be handled on a profitable basis.

Although the foregoing improvements are described in connection with aso-called mortar board cap, many of them may be used adtypes,

vantageously in caps or hats of other as will be apparent.

What I claim is: V 1 1. In amortar board cap, a sheet of-corrugatedboard and thin sheet metal channel 7 members fitting over andreenforcing the edges thereof, one of the flanges at each end of each ofsaid channel members being disposed between the flangesof adjacentchannelmember, said channel members being in tegrally united at thecorners to provide a continuous perimetric reinforcing rim.

I 2. In amortar board cap, a sheet 'ofcorru: gatedboard,thin sheet metalchannel Inem- 'b e'rs reenforcing the edges thereof, fabric se-r curedto each face of said corrugated board by'a Waterproof adhesive, and athick protect-' ing envelope of fabric in which said corrugated board isconfined.

3. Ina mortar board cap, a sheet of corrugated board, thin sheet/metalchannel members fitting over and reenforcing the edges thereof, fabricsecured tojeach face of said corrugated boardby a WELtGlPIYOOf;adhesive,

and a crown sewed to said corrugated board by threads passingthroughboth' of said lay i e'rs of fabric. Y

4'. In a mortar board cap, a sheet of corrugated board, thin sheet metalchannel members reenforcing the edges thereof, fabric secured to eachface of saidcor'rug ated board by awaterproof adhesive, an envelopeenclos- I 111g saidboard, a crown sewed to said corrugated board bythreads passing through both of said layers of fabric,and' a finishingfabric concealing said corrugated board and its envelope.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed,

'myname, v- I I 'OLARENCElBs-c R C

